Copenhagen's Best Food Neighborhood Is One Block Long

Everything that makes Copenhagen a culinary hotbed—rock-star chefs, foraging as art— can be found on this cobblestoned street in the city’s lively Nørrebro neighborhood.

These days, any foodie knows that Copenhagen has joined New York, Tokyo, and San Francisco as one of the culinary capitals of the world. That’s largely thanks to René Red­zepi’s groundbreaking restaurant, Noma, which since its opening in 2003 has been converting diners to the wonders of foraged reindeer moss—as well as producing the next generation of inventive chefs, many of whom now helm their own kitchens. One of Noma’s most acclaimed alums is Christian F. Puglisi, who in 2010 launched Relæ in the once­-seedy Nørrebro neighborhood. “Everyone thought I was crazy when I wanted to open here,” Puglisi says. “To­day, Jægersborggade is a great place to be.” A ten-­minute bike ride north of the city center, the street is just a block long and is home to dozens of shops and restaurants that cater to the eating­ and ­drinking obsessed. Come for lunch; you won’t end up leaving until well after dinner.

RELÆ

“Being an immigrant forced me to be inventive instead of relying on the elements of cooking I already knew,” says the Sicilian- Norwegian Puglisi of his casual 42-seat, Michelin-starred restaurant. Three prix fixe menus are on offer here: “Omnivore,” “Herbivore,” and, for those with a huge appetite, “Let’s-Try-It-All... Ivore.” There are usually only two waiters, so the chefs double as servers, and diners are responsible for resetting their own silverware between courses (extra cutlery is stored in a drawer in the custom-designed wooden table). The food—creative but accessible dishes like sous vide chicken with bottarga and sweet corn—is so good, you wouldn’t mind washing the plates as well. Puglisi’s long-awaited cookbook, A Book of Ideas, hits shelves this month, and his new pizzeria and bakery will open on nearby Guldbergsgade by year’s end (No. 41; 45-3696-6609; restaurant-relae.dk; prix fixes from $81).

MANFREDS

Puglisi’s café and wine bar is right across the street from Relæ, and it’s not uncommon to see him and his cooks carting whole sides of animals and trays of prepped vegetables back and forth throughout the day. “At Relæ, we’re very strict and focused,” Puglisi says. “Manfreds is an outlet for our rustic ideas.” But no less sophisticated: One standout in a recent meal included beef tartare with watercress and rye, and charred spring onions with elderflower and salty, semi-hard Havgus cheese. Go with the “Chef’s Choice” menu—a mix of seven vegetable, meat, and fish dishes for about $45 per person. Make reservations early—the wait can be over an hour, and there are only 20
bar seats available for walk-ins (No. 40; 45-3696-6593; manfreds.dk; small plates from $6).

Scandinavia’s coffee scene now rivals Seattle’s, with small-batch roasters who take their brews very, very seriously. This shop prides itself on its direct-trade sourcing practices and highly trained baristas, who regularly compete in the Danish Coffee Championships (and bring home top prize). Sure, the place is the size of a cramped kitchen in a tiny apartment—there’s not even a counter between you and the baristas—but no one seems bothered by the lack of ambience. In fact, your AeroPress pour-over is best enjoyed from one of the wooden benches outside, while you watch the stylish locals stroll down the street (No. 10).

MEYERS BAGERI

Think of chef-restaurateur Claus Meyer as the Danish Mario Batali: He’s a TV personality, he co-founded Noma, and in 2016 he’s set to open the Nordic Food Hall—Scandinavia’s answer to Eataly—in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. His small bakery on Jægersborggade has earned him legions of local fans, who can’t start their day without the shop’s signature morning pastry, the kanelsnurrer, which is similar to a cinnamon roll (No. 9; clausmeyer.dk).

Stefan Jensen, founder of this wine bar, can remember the first time he sipped a natural wine (that means no filtering, clarification, temperature control, or sulfur up until the time of bottling). “It was the late nineties, and it changed me forever,” he says. In the years since, Jensen has become a crusader for wines that are produced in a way that reflects the origin of the grape in the truest sense. He stocks varietals from Italy, Slovenia, Georgia, and Hungary—including bottles by trailblazers like Josko Gravner and Frank Cornelissen, arguably Mount Etna’s best producer, which pair nicely with charcuterie (No. 52; 45-3690- 6040; terroiristen.dk).

KERAMIKER INGE VINCENTS

“Each of the shops and eateries on this street represents the owner’s desire to excel within his or her field—be it coffee, caramels, or ceramics,” says Inge Vincents, whose paper-thin, mostly white bowls, platters, and cups line the floor-to-ceiling shelves in her quaint pottery shop. “My studio is part of the synergy that makes our street
a destination.” Everything is produced on-site and is hand-shaped—meaning no two pieces are identical. “I’m fascinated with the translucency of the porcelain,” she says. “It gives an object a delicate lightness.” But don’t let the delicacy of the pieces dissuade you from taking anything home: Vincents has a way with bubble wrap and is happy to ship her wares (No. 27; 45-4070-1750; vincents.dk).